


Caterpillars

by Doctor_Discord



Series: Dad AU [3]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Parents, Caterpillars, Cute, Dad AU, Eric deserves the world, Eric is a Pure Soul, Fun, Past Child Abuse, Pure, Pure Dark, i love this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 18:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20493611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctor_Discord/pseuds/Doctor_Discord
Summary: Eric makes a new friend he's very excited to show Dark.





	Caterpillars

Dark sat in the backyard on the manor, smiling and laughing as the sun shone down. It was a beautiful summer day, and the kids had wanted to play outside. And, well, Dark and Wil weren't ones to deny them that. So they'd gathered the kids, and headed into the backyard.

Dark burst into more laughter when Wil came sprinting in front of him, chasing after Reynolds and the Jims with his arms outstretched, the three children practically _shrieking _with delight. Dark's smile turned a little wistful as he watched Reynolds play. He'd come into their care about three months ago, having spent his entire life (_eight years_) in the system. No one had wanted him. He was too stubborn, too mature and independent for his age, and _fiercely _protective of the other little boy he'd come as a package deal with, Eric. Though for good reason.

Dark's heart panged when he thought about Eric's story. The agency had warned them about him. He'd come from a home where he was abused physically, neglected, starved, and so many other things Dark didn't even want to think about. Eric was so traumatized he had an official diagnosis of PTSD. And he was _six_. A six year old boy with PTSD. It made Dark's heart _break_. The second he and Wil had caught wind of the pair, they didn't even hesitate before signing the foster papers. They knew how to handle kids with an abusive past. A couple of their kids _did_. And they were _determined _to give Eric and Reynolds a proper childhood if it was the last thing they did.

Dark's head shot up when he heard Wil shout, and promptly split in a wide grin when he saw his husband flat on his back in the grass and being _swarmed _by giggling kids. Wil laughed loudly, scooping up as many of the kids as he could fit in his arms and squeezing them tightly. Dark snorted when the Host tripped over Wil's leg and ended up on top of Oliver, which caused a chain reaction of the rest of the kids trying to lie on top of Wil in any way they could. Wil laid back in defeat, though he still was grinning, and he shot Dark the _happiest _look Dark had ever seen. In response, Dark held up his phone and snapped a couple pictures of Wil buried beneath a dozen kids.

Dark glanced down when he felt a poke to his arm, smiling softly. Eric was standing next to him, though he refused to meet his eyes. He seemed to be holding something, one hand cupped over the other, and Dark's smile warmed. He set down his phone, then scooped Eric up, setting him in his lap. "Hey there." He couldn't help his smile widening when Eric leaned into him. He tapped Eric on the nose, little metaphorical _stars _appearing in his eyes when Eric giggled. He turned his attention to Eric's cupped hands, shifting his grip on him a little. "Whatcha got there?"

Eric glanced down at his hands, then back up at Dark's face, before slowly removing his top hand. A bright green caterpillar was cupped in his hand, and it immediately began crawling up Eric's arm. Eric split in a _beaming _smile and giggled, glancing back up at Dark. "Cataplier!"

Dark gasped, his heart aching in his chest with just how _cute _this kid was. "I see that!" He picked up the caterpillar, and set it down on Eric's nose. Eric burst into more giggles as the caterpillar crawled all over his face. Dark chuckled, absolutely _thriving _in Eric's smile. "Does your new friend have a name?"

Eric thought for a minute, clumsily prying the caterpillar off his face and placing it back in his hand. He smiled back up at Dark. "_Mister _Cataplier." He picked up the caterpillar again, reaching up with his tongue poking out to place it on Dark's face. Dark scrunched up his face, closing his eyes in reflex and trying to stifle his giggling as the caterpillar's crawling tickled his face. Eric laughed, the pure sound warming Dark's soul. "Now Daddy has a new friend!"

Dark gasped, opening his eyes. Eric was still beaming at him, watching the path the of the caterpillar. Dark hardly felt the little insect, his brain now a mantra of '_he called my Daddy he called me Daddy_'. He pulled Eric into a hug, flopping back on the grass and pressing kisses all over Eric's face, laughing in between as Eric shrieked and giggled. He cradled Eric close to his chest as he showered him with kisses, happier than words could describe. 

"You have a caterpillar on your face."

Dark glanced up. Wil was standing above him, hands on his hips with a little smirk plastered to his face, and Silver and Green attached to his legs. Dark beamed, glancing back down at Eric, who was currently hiding his face in Dark's shirt. "I know." His grin widened. "_He called me 'Daddy', Wil! _This may be the greatest day of my life!"

Wil's eyes lit up, and he laughed. "You have that same reaction _every _time one of them calls you 'Daddy' for the first time."

"And it's _true _every time!"

Wil laughed. And suddenly _all _of the kids were barreling into the scene, led by Dr. Iplier and and King. "_Daaaddyyyyy!_" Dr. Iplier latched onto Dark's arm. "Can we have icecream?"

"_Pleeeeaaaase?_" The quads chorused.

Dark and Wil swapped an amused glance, and Wil sighed. "Alright. Come on, follow me!" Dark burst into laughter at the sight of Wil waddling away, Silver and Green still _firmly _attached to his legs and the kids trailing after him.

Dark got to his feet, pressing one last kiss to Eric's forehead as he rested him on his hip. He tried to step forward, but found his legs _much _heavier than usual. He glanced down, and grinned at the sight of Bing, Bim, and Ed's giggling faces. "Oh, you three want a ride too, do you? Come on then! Let's go get icecream!"

**Author's Note:**

> I am fully prepared to die for this AU _I love it so much!!!!!!!!!_
> 
> Tumblr: doctordiscord123.tumblr.com!


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